How We Started

In September 2010, a couple of folks who attended Slow Money National Gathering in Shelburne, Vermont decided they wanted to get together to continue the dialogue about the meaning of Slow Money in NYC.

Kerry Gendron, Taylor Cocalis and Holley Atkinson formed a Meetup group and invited folks met at the Gathering to some potlucks in the Fall, including Derek Denckla and others. Not surprisingly, most of our 12 or so members were from Brooklyn!

In December of 2010, Kerry, Taylor and Holley asked Derek to take over administration of the Meetup.

In January 2011, Derek thought that we should bring members together to discuss what we could do as a group, holding a meeting at 61 Local, a locavore public house in Boerum Hill section of Brooklyn. 16 people attended who were given a paper and pencil survey to find out who they were and what they would like to do to further the Slow Money Principles.

We discussed the results of our self-survey and called for people to self-nominate for work on a Steering Committee. Of those eight volunteers for the Steering Committee, two dropped out based on excessive outside commitments shortly thereafter.

Over the next year, the following Steering Committee has worked to build on ideas expressed at that first meeting: Derek Denckla as chair and Holly Howard, Brian Kaminer, Sam Kressler, Mo Moadeli and Nicole Reed. Subsequently, Mo dropped out in May 2011 due to demands from another non-profit with which he volunteers, GetDirtyNYC!, and Holly stepped down in November 2011 due to demands arising from the launch of her new consulting practice. They will be missed!

We were helped by countless volunteers and many supporters. Key volunteers have been Lauren Servin, Erica Hval, Lindsey Greene, Eva Morales, Lionel Johnnes, and many others. Key supporters have been The Moderns, The Contact Fund, CC Culver, Mission Markets, Brooklyn Roasting Company and Edible Brooklyn. Thank you all!